90 Years of Vero Beach History

Take a stroll down memory lane: Check out some old and a few new scenes from Vero Beach and the surrounding areas.

The first automobile in Vero Beach was an Orient buckboard, made between 1903 and 1908. Shown here are Mr. and Mrs. N. O. Penny and their children. Mrs. Penny was the 3-year-old sister of Charles Gifford when she came to Vero Beach to live with her parents in 1888. The automobile was brought in by boat and assembled in Vero Beach. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River" Look Back In Time

This team carried food, fuel and other supplies between Vero Beach and the dragline machine used in construction of the first canal in the Indian River Drainage District, which began excavation work in January 1913. Charles Gifford is standing by the back wheel of the wagon. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River," 1953

In the 1930s, a B.F. Goodrich Rubber Co. airplane landed in Vero Beach and parked on the bare ground while getting fuel pumped into a tank on the wing. Pictured with the airplane is James Tew, company president. The company was well on its way to becoming an industrial giant. It was manufacturing tires for the ever-increasing number of automobiles and trucks on the nation's highways. Press Journal file photo

The Vero Garage occupied a notable spot in Vero at the southeast corner of Dixie Highway and 20th Street. Completed in 1912, the building had wood-frame walls covered by pressed metal panels that looked like rough concrete blocks. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County, by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Commercial fishing provided jobs for many people along the Indian River in the early 20th century. J.H. Hurst managed Vero Beach's Scobie & Co., which operated in the 1920s. Press Journal file photo

Drainage was extremely important to the early development of Vero Beach. This large shovel and drag line was used to unearth the first main canal from the Indian River westward 9 miles into the back country. Construction began on the canals in 1913, when almost all of the area being drained was agricultural. Photo from Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River compiled by Anna Pearl Leonard Newman, 1953

This blacksmith shop in Vero Beach shows a carriage wheel ready to be mended on the left side of the building. The shop was used frequently before the age of the automobile. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River" compiled by Anna Pearl Leonard Newman, 1953

This store and post office was built in 1898 by the Henry Gifford family directly in front of their home in Vero Beach. This structure faced on what would become Osceola Boulevard or today's SR 60. In the wagon are Hank Huey and Cordwood Smith. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River," 1953

This is the steamer St. Lucie, an old two-stacker paddlewheeler that used to run from Titusville to Jupiter carrying freight, passengers and mail. It was one of three owned by the Indian River Steamship Co. Here it is shown pushing a barge loaded with fresh water tanks to supply fresh water for the settlers in the Florida Keys. Photo from Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River, 1953 Look Back In Time

This is Sarah Gifford's own drawing of her home in 1888, the first residence constructed in Vero Beach. The primitive building was razed when the Giffords constructed a large frame house a year later with lumber brought by sailboat from Jacksonville. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River" compiled by Anna Pearl Leonard Newman, 1953

In 1914, brothers William J. and Peter F. Leffler moved from Illinois to Vero Beach. Another brother, John Paul Leffler, followed in 1952. This aerial view is of the Leffler homestead and citrus groves on Glendale Boulevard, Christmas, 1946. They were members of St. Helen Catholic Church. Courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society Look back in time citrus groves

These auto mechanics put their skills to good use. During WWI, these three young men helped the Red Cross recycle automobile tires for the war effort in Vero. From left to right are Tobias Sebastian Gobar, Chris Bell, and Joseph Early Twitchell. Tobe Gobar was a self-employed auto mechanic, and Joe Twitchell was a garage owner and city mechanic. Courtesy of Ruth Twitchell Donation, Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

The $800,000 steel-and-concrete Merrill Barber Bridge was dedicated on March 18, 1951. This aerial scene of the drawbridge contrasts the alignments of the 1920 and 1951 bridges, the former with its distinctive curve. The drawbridge was removed in 1995 after the high-span Barber Bridge was built to the north the year before. Press Journal file photo

The first airplane to land in Vero Beach on what would become the Royal Park golf course belonged to George Halderman, one of the first successful trans-Atlantic fliers. The man on the left is unidentified, while the others are Halderman, F.C. Gifford and Alex MacWilliam. The children in front are Kenneth, Howard and Gordon Murray. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River" compiled by Anna Pearl Leonard Newman, 1953

This is the Gifford home in 1889, the first residence constructed in Vero. It was built as a large frame house with lumber brought by sailboat from Jacksonville. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River" compiled by Anna Pearl Leonard Newman, 1953

The Quay School was completed in 1919. A rising student population resulted in new classrooms in 1927, complementing its mission-styling. Quay is near present-day Winter Beach. Photo and information from "A History of Indian River County" by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

This photograph, from the 1920s-30s, shows how Sebastian's early settlers dealt with the unstable Sebastian Inlet that washed away cabins during major storm events. Press Journal file photo

Vero Beach Train Depot pre-1914, before renovations. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

When prospective land buyers visited Vero, they needed lodging. Twitchell's Pool Hall on 20th Street in downtown Vero Beach was the first commercial establishment erected, with rooms to let over the pool hall. The Sleepy Eye Lodge was built in 1912. In the 1916 directory are two other establishments with rooms, Mrs. Martha E. Knight's and Mrs. Emma Trice's. In the 1927 directory 10 hotels and 18 apartment buildings are listed. Pine Tree Lodge cost $1.25 a night for a single, and $2.00 for a double. Courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society, Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

This view captures the Vero Theater and the Farmer's Bank under construction. The Vero Theater opened October 1924 with the feature film Hunchback of Notre Dame. Within six months of its opening, the theater became the center of a county division fight that ended with the creation of Indian River County in May 1925. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

This is Vero's Florida East Coast Railway depot about 1918. Originally built on Commerce Avenue between 18th and 19th streets, the building was relocated in the 1980s to its present 14th Avenue site. The Indian River County Historical Society renovated the depot, which houses its exhibit center. One of the county's oldest surviving buildings, the landmark is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Photo from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Dodger teams won six National League pennants between 1890 and 1948. In 1949 Burt Shotton led the Dodgers to another N.L. pennant. 1949 was the first year the Dodger team spent a full spring in Vero Beach.'' "Florida's Historic Indian River County," by Charlotte Lockwood, 1976

Members of the cast of "Fiddler on the Roof," presented during the 1974-75 Vero Beach Theatre Guild season, give way to song and dance. They are Judy Hill (standing from left), Norm Gregory, Suzanne Bode, John Yeast, Lois Gregory, Allen Johnson, Kathy Morris, John Avril and on the roof is Jim Leiter (fiddler). "Florida's Historic Indian River County," by Charlotte Lockwood, 1976

Industrialist and local pioneer developer Arthur G. McKee, for which today's McKee Botanical Garden is named, built this seasonal dwelling in 1922 in Riomar. The house featured a distinctive Mediterranean Revival flair with stucco and oyster shell exterior wall finishes. Photo and information from "A History of Indian River County" by Sidney P. Johnston,

The Fellsmere Sugar Co. promoted growth in Indian River County during the Great Depression. This aerial view depicts the plant at its high point of production in the mid-1950s. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Completed about 1894, Sebastian's Florida East Coast Railway depot was the first of the large stations constructed in Indian River County. Later, the depot was moved, but burned before it could be rehabilitated and preserved. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Steam shovels with huge buckets dredged the wetlands in Indian River County. Most of the organizers of the Indian River Farms Co. were from other parts of the country. Depicted here about 1919 is a group of company officials and investors standing in one of the huge buckets. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

The Sleepy Eye Lodge was among the first buildings constructed by the Indian River Farms Co. in Vero. Herman J. Zeuch named the lodge after Chief Sleepy Eye of Minnesota, recalling that the chief had boasted he never spilt a drop of blood of the white man. Located at the southwest corner of 14th Avenue and 21st Street, the lodge was moved in February 1925 to make room for the new Hotel Vero Del Mar. After being moved to 22nd Street and 19th Avenue, the lodge was renamed the Hotel Del Prado. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Typical of houses built in Fellsmere about 1915 was the home and office of the Fellsmere Co. surveyor. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Fellsmere was St. Lucie County's second largest town, prior to the formation of Indian River County, when a photographer snapped this image about 1914. Facing north on Broadway just north of the intersection of New York Avenue, the picture depicts the Fellsmere Railroad depot in the distance and commercial stores along the main thoroughfare of town. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Facing south along 21st Street in May 1916, a photographer recorded the dedication ceremonies for the Unity Club, the original name given the Vero Beach Woman's Club. A decade after its founding, the club boasted a membership of 125. In January 1927, the group dedicated a new addition to the clubhouse. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Vero Beach Woman's Club continues to play an important role in Indian River County's social history to this day. Photo and information from "A History of Indian River County" by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

Clerk of Court Douglas Baker (standing to the right) is joined by Lelia Gray, Wanda Smith and Ralph Harris at work in the old Indian River County Courthouse about 1940. Photo and information from "A History of Indian River County" by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

In 1925, the Vero Beach Press boasted, no city has better protection from fire than has Vero Beach with these men always on the job. In this scene, the city's volunteer firefighting staff pose on their new trucks, decked out in their hats and slickers. Behind them stands the City Hall, which had been built in 1922. City Hall, which contained the fire department, jail, meeting hall and municipal offices, occupied a site at the northeast corner of 13th Avenue and 20th Street. Photo and information from A History of Indian River County by Sidney P. Johnston, 2000

William Wigfield arrived in Indian River County from West Virginia in 1887. Captain Frank Forster sold him five acres of land on Orchid Island for $200 in 1891. He built the house pictured here with lumber from Titusville. When a destructive storm on the island caused him to move, he was deeded 160 acres in 1892 between Kings Highway, Old Dixie Highway, and 58th Street now Hawks Nest Golf Course. The house was relocated to the new property by tearing it down and hauling it by raft and oxcarts to the new location. He lived there until his death in 1930. His daughter Virginia came back to live with him in 1906 after her mother died, and she remained in the house and continued his floral business after he died, until her death in 1971. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

The Pocahontas Park Zoo acquired its first bear, Alice, in 1925, a purchase by Senator T. J. Campbell for $200. Small, but bad-tempered, she arrived by express from La Belle. That same year a bobcat was added, a local animal captured and donated by J. B. Tippin. They joined the alligators, turtles and raccoons already in residence. Suzie the bear was later donated by Arthur Hill, Jr. to be a companion to Alice. Within a month Suzie died because of human food that was given to her. Other zoo denizens were a fox and an owl. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

Louis Waker (on left), father of Roy Waker, is shown here with Sam Smith, clearing the 10 acres of land purchased by Roy Waker on 8th Street near 22nd Avenue with an oxen team in 1915. After clearing, it was planted with citrus trees, with a cash crop of truck garden vegetables in between. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

Tomas L. Morgan (1846-1933) was born in England, immigrated to Illinois in 1865. He moved to Indian River County prior to 1920. He was a laborer, married with two children each from two marriages, and divorced. He is pictured on his property on S. Gifford in Winter Beach. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

Crates from E.M. Gollnick Farm, 1917. A farmer transports crates of cabbage, potatoes and beans from the farm. Farmers soon learned that citrus and cattle also thrived in the area. "Florida's Historic Indian River County," by Charlotte Lockwood, 1976

This photograph in the collection was another exciting find, for a different reason. It is a familiar image of the Vero Beach Woman's Club, on the National Register of Historic Places, still in existence at 1534 21st Street. However, note the name etched into the photograph, the "Myron E. Hard Memorial Library." It was not previously known as a name for this building. Research found that Professor Myron E. Hard was a retired superintendent of schools in Kirkwood, Missouri and was a naturalist with a specialty in mushrooms. He wrote a 600-page book entitled "Mushrooms, Edible and Otherwise." He became a noted and respected member of the Vero community during the short time he was here. He came to Vero in August of 1914, and died in October 1914. His wife was a founding member of the Woman's Unity Club of Vero, Florida and was instrumental in its formation in 1915. Mrs. Hard provided 300 books to begin the library in memory of her husband Professor Hard. Myron E. Hard Memorial Library c. 1915

In September, 1919, Vero's new school opened with an expected enrollment of 300 grammar and high school students. The first school bus driver, Mr. L. B. Gollnick, had the contract for transporting children throughout the district, to school. He purchased a new Oldsmobile truck and added a body with a seating capacity of 35, with seats on each side and down the middle. The Gollnick family arrived from Springfield, Missouri in 1915. They farmed and established the Jerseydale Dairy Farm. Either Leon or his wife Lillie drove the bus each day. Courtesy of Jack Wilkinson, Indian River County Historical Society, Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

This could be start of an "ideal 40-acre farm" promised by Indian River Farms Co. in the early part of the twentieth century. First build the spacious farmhouse. Then borrow a horse and plow, get the well drilled, plant the citrus grove, sugarcane, vegetables and pineapples. Buy the chickens and cows – don't forget the hogs. Boy, it sure is hot here. Next we'll need a chicken coop and – what is that biting me? Courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society Collection, Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

The old location of Indian River Memorial Hospital at the corner of 25th Street and 20th Avenue, Vero Beach, 1952-1978 Press Journal file photo

It is amazing how many different hats early area settlers wore in a lifetime. In Illinois, Roy Waker was Inspector/Manager for the Glen Carbon Mine and a professional photographer. After arriving in Vero in 1914, he continued as a photographer, and also became a commercial citrus grove owner and farmer. He and his brother were owners and operators of the Seminole Grocery in the Seminole Building on 14th St., in Vero. Pictured here, he was also a part-time logger. Photo courtesy of Indian River County Historical Society

Spencer Harris and Walter O'Malley at McKee Jungle Gardens

Walter O'Malley with Mckee, House of Giants table

Arthur G. McKee was a wealthy engineer from Cleveland who had a company that worked internationally for the iron and steel industry. McKee, who visited the area in the winter, met Waldo Sexton, his cousinís business partner, and they purchased an 80-acre piece of land along the Indian River. Plants and seeds from around the world were used when the tropical landscape was designed with the help of renowned landscape architect, William Lyman Phillips. The original paradise was called McKee Jungle Gardens and Campground and featured exotic animals. Photo Courtesy McKee Botanical Garden

Kennedy Groves

Merrill Barber on March 19, 1951 stands in front of a sign on the day of the dedication of the Merrill P. Barber Bridge. According to the Florida Office of Cultural and Historical Programs, Barber began his career in 1930 as co-owner of one of the first growers supply businesses in Vero Beach. In 1935, he was a founder and director of the Indian River Citrus Bank and later served as president of the bank for 27 years. He was mayor of Vero Beach for one term and served two terms in the Florida Senate. Photo courtesty Florida Local History Collection, Indian River County Main Library

Workers harvest citrus from the first grove owned by Graves Brothers Co.

Graves Brothers Co. saw mill

The Ed Graves family

Early groves owned by Graves Brothers Co.

Graves Brothers Co. citrus processing plant off Old Dixie Highway

Walter Graves, sons, Hubert, Robert and Walter Jr. THe Graves family own the Graves Brothers citrus company.

This huge cypress stump, used for many years as an attraction at the entrance of McKee Jungle Gardens, was locally grown. Between 1916-1918, it was a common practice at Blue Cypress Lake to kill the surrounding cypress trees by girdling (cutting a band of bark from around the trunk), for later processing. A sawmill on the western shore of the lake cut down this one some time in the early 1940's, and this stump was trucked to McKee for display. Courtesy of Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

McKee Jungle Gardens & Campground. As of 1975, motorists driving along U.S. 1 south of Vero Beach were still able see the sign for the McKee Jungle Gardens. "Florida's Historic Indian River County," by Charlotte Lockwood, 1976.

The Hall of Giants in McKee

The entrance to McKee

Vero Beach City Hall on left, and the fire department in downtown Vero Beach

McKee House of Giants gift shop

Men hold up the large slab of wood that later became a table at McKee.

The Driftwood Inn

The Driftwood Inn

Riomar Country Club

This immense water tank once stood on the west side of the Florida East Coast Railway right of way at the north city limits of Vero Beach. The railroad was not double-tracked until 1925. Photo from "Stories of Early Life Along Beautiful Indian River," 1953

This picture is one of a group of pictures found in an abandoned Vero Beach house in 1986 by Joel Dobbs. After research, it was determined that the house had been owned by Arthur M. Hill, a pioneer and entrepreneur of Indian River County. The Hills made frequent excursions by boat to Pelican Island. This picture may have been taken in the 1920s. Courtesy of the Arthur Mayfield Hill Collection, Archive Center, Indian River County Main Library

The Heritage Center and the Citrus Museum, 2006.

Guides and children check out the view from the bridge on one of the tours of the garden. Press Journal file photo

Roger Clark, from left, John Wynn and Tom Chasteen, employees with the City of Vero Beach, guide Patriot, the horse statue at Pocahontas Park, down to the ground after removing it in January of 2006. The crew from the city used a crane to remove the statue so it could be taken to Perfection Paint and Body where it will be repaired and restored. Press Journal file photo

Vero Beach High School head football coach Billy Livings gives a short speech thanking the fans, coaches, players and everyone else who supported the team during a celebration for Livings' 300th victory as head coach after the Indians defeated Wellington High School 20-0 Friday, October 2, 2003. Press Journal file photo

An aerial view of SR 60 looking east in 2007.

CNN photographer Jerry Simonson, left, films reporter John Zarrella during a live report for the network in March 2009 from Holman Stadium at Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Press Journal file photo

Brister Signs in Vero Beach was contracted to remove the famous Dodgertown sign from the clubhouse on in 2008 in preparation for the move to Arizona. Photo Courtesy Brister Signs

Old diesel power plant building in Vero Beach in 2009.

The old Diesel Power plant stands empty along the railroad tracks at 19th Street in Vero Beach in 2009. Croom Construction has cleaned it up, painted and remodeled the building along with preserving the diesel engine that's still inside. The building is awaiting tenants.

"This is just fun" said Susan Anstey, of Vero Beach, while checking out the ocean in the driving rain at Humiston Park on Tuesday morning, August 19,the morning Tropical Storm Fay arrived. Anstey, who works across the parking lot from the beach, said she had been out multiple times to check out the weather since business was slow. Press Journal file photo